How to manage knowledge transfer
| Date | 12 August 2007 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14754390980000974 |
| Published date | 12 August 2007 |
| Pages | 5-5 |
| Author | Simon Jones |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
5
Volume 6 Issue 4 May/June 2007
HOW TO…
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Practical advice for HR professionals
DEPARTMENTS AT A GLANCE
STRATEGIC COMMENTARY
,
METRICS
,
HOW TO…
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PRACTITIONER PROFILE
Q&A
HR AT WORK
REWARDS
,
RESEARCH AND RESULTS
,
,
,
,
Manage knowledge transfer
1
CREATE A CULTURE
OF KNOWLEDGE
SHARING
5
CARRY OUT EXIT
INTERVIEWS
4
MANAGE
SUCCESSION
PLANNING
3
APPRAISE THE
SITUATION
2
It‘s very easy for employees to
believe that by holding onto
information they are increasing
their value to the business,and
dispelling this myth is vital.
This must start with clear
communication from the top
about the importance of
information sharing and be
strengthened by engagement
of middle managers.There
needs to be a clear expectation
that employees treat
knowledge as an
organizational, rather than
personal, commodity.This
could be supported by
schemes that involve
knowledge “champions” to
increase the flow of relevant
information to the people who
need it. Regular knowledge
sharing sessions could be held
where staff can find out about
particular business areas.
An appraisal, of course,is the
fulcrum of the annual
management process but can
also be a valuable
opportunity for knowledge
sharing between managers
and employees. Both parties
can draw together key
learnings over the past year,
and managers in particular
can identify any key points
from which others could
learn. Manager/employee
knowledge sharing shouldn’t
simply be an annual event;
an appraisal should be the
culmination of regular
dialogue and feedback. After
all, managers don’t always
have the answers and
seeking employee views can
uncover new ideas that could
improve the organization.
Knowledge transfer is
particularly important when
employees leave or join an
organization. A certain level
of staff turnover is natural,
and employers should be
proactive in the way they
manage employee
succession. When succession
occurs, the new incumbent of
the role must be helped to
“hit the ground running”
through a defined process of
knowledge transfer.Ideally
there should be a period of
“shadowing” or a series of
handover meetings to aid
effective transition. At the
very least, the organization
must have a structured way
for identifying the core
knowledge required for the
role and ensuring that the
new incumbent is engaged
with it.
D
eveloping, retaining and sharing
knowledge effectively is a major
challenge for all businesses.
Ensuring that employees have access to
the information they need has a critical
impact on their effectiveness and,
ultimately, the performance of the
organization as a whole.
But if knowledge really is power, its
potential can be limited by how it’s
deployed. If team members are not
sharing information effectively and if
different teams or departments are
working in isolation, there is massive
potential for duplication or missed
opportunities – and the organization
suffers as a result.
The dangers are clear, but what steps
can organizations take to make
knowledge transfer a more effective
process? Below are five areas that, given
the right attention, can make a
difference. Of course, each organization
is different and there are many practical
tools for sharing knowledge across
different teams and departments. The
common factor for all organizations must
be a commitment to knowledge transfer –
not just in principle, but as a day-to-day
reality. For all the formal processes in the
world, unless there is a genuine culture of
sharing intelligence, much of the combined
force of that knowledge will be lost.
Source:
Simon Jones,acting chief executive, Investors in People
PROMOTE SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT
Development plans help each
employee to rise to the
challenge ahead and clearly
define their expected
contributions. But how
effectively do we share the
knowledge that one
employee gains through this
plan with other colleagues?
Establishing a system for
sharing such information, for
example, encouraging
feedback on key learnings or
reports on training courses
and coaching, is another
example of good knowledge
transfer.It can help ensure a
“halo effect” through which
one employee’s learning is
shared to raise understanding
among other members of the
team.
It‘s surprising how many
employers let vital knowledge
disappear by failing to carry
out a simple exit interview
when employees decide to
leave an organization. It’s
simply good business sense
to invest some effort into
understanding why people
are moving on. When
feedback is compared it will
often throw up common
themes or problems that can
then be addressed. Likewise,
the exit interview is an
opportunity to ensure that
when employees move on,
they don’t take all of their
expertise with them without
a thorough debrief or perhaps
a teach-in with colleagues.
© Melcrum publishing 2007.For more information visit our website www.melcrum.com or e-mail info@melcrum.com
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